Dylan Hartley after Northampton's defeat in the 2013 Premiership final against Leicester, in which he was sent off. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

Northampton have named Dylan Hartley on the replacements’ bench for Saturday’s Premiership final against Saracens at Twickenham.

The England hooker, who was sent off in last season’s Premiership final defeat by Leicester, has been sidelined since suffering a shoulder injury two months ago but now looks set to play a part in the end-of-season showpiece as Saints target their first title success.

The news could also mean he heads to New Zealand next week, for England’s three-Test series against the All Blacks, though players involved in this weekend’s final will not be available for the first Test in Auckland a week on Saturday.

The bulk of the England squad flew to New Zealand this week, with a second group from Northampton and Saracens setting off 48 hours after the final. The second Test is on Saturday 14 June.

The England flanker Tom Wood, who captained Northampton to their Amlin Challenge Cup final success against Bath last Friday, continues as captain, leading a side that shows two changes from that win in Cardiff. The scrum-half Kahn Fotuali’i replaces Lee Dickson while the prop Salesi Ma’afu returns from suspension and starts instead of Tom Mercey.

The England prop Mako Vunipola’s hopes of touring New Zealand have seemingly receded, though, after he was ruled out of the Saracens team because of a knee injury. Vunipola is replaced by Richard Barrington, who packs down alongside Schalk Brits and Matt Stevens in the front row. It will be Stevens’ final Saracens game before he joins the Sharks in South Africa.

The Saracens captain, Steve Borthwick, also bows out this weekend, making his 265th and final Premiership appearance before retirement. He will be partnered in the second row by Mouritz Botha.

In the back division a rotational switch means the scrum-half Neil de Kock starts instead of Richard Wigglesworth.